Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday asked for the Centre's help after the Central Water Commission said that the Yamuna will swell up to 207.72 metres. "Not good news for Delhi. There have been no rains in Delhi for the last two days. However, the level of the Yamuna is rising due to abnormally high volumes of water being released by Haryana at Hathnikund barrage. I urge the Centre to intervene and ensure that the level of the Yamuna doesn't rise further," he said.
He also pointed out that the Yamuna reached its highest level of 207.49m in 1978 and compared it with the river's current level of 207.55m.
In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal wrote: "Limited quantity of water should be released from Hathnikund, so that the water level of Yamuna does not increase further. G20 summit is to be held in Delhi. So if a flood happens in Delhi, it won't send a good message to the world."
ALSO READ | Rain-Ravaged Delhi Dreads 1978 Flood Horrors As Swelling Yamuna Nears Record Mark
The Yamuna in Delhi breached the 45-year-old record level as it touched 207.55 metres on Wednesday, triggering flood fear in the national capital. In 1978, the water level in the river rose to 204.79 metres. The Delhi Police has also imposed Sector 144 of the CrPC in the flood-prone areas as a precautionary measure and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also called an emergency meeting.
A Delhi government official told PTI that the meeting would be held at the Delhi Secretariat and all senior officers of all departments concerned have been asked to be present. Speaking on the situation, Delhi Minister Atishi said the government was fully prepared to tackle any situation. "We are regularly conducting evacuations near the Yamuna River. Several embankments have been installed to prevent the breach of water. We are monitoring the situation continuously," Atishi further said.
CM Kejriwal's fear over the 1978 floods is not unfound. In 1978, Delhi recorded a devastating flood after 7 lakh cusecs water was released into the Yamuna from the Hathnikund barrage and the water level in the river rose to 204.79 metres at the Old Railway Bridge.
ALSO READ | Yamuna Water Level Breaches 45-Year Record In Delhi, Section 144 Imposed In Flood-Prone Areas
Lakhs of people were affected due to inundation in many areas. Then many areas of the capital were completely submerged in water and water had entered people's homes. About 43 square kilometres of fields were submerged and crops were ruined. At that time the level of Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge had touched the 207.49-metre mark. Since then, the level of Yamuna has crossed the mark of 207 metres twice — in 2010 (207.11 m) and in 2013 (207.32 m).
The flood threw Delhi into a state of emergency with a lack of drinking water at the refugee camps and villages that had been cut off due to the flooding running out of food and other supplies. Fear of diseases like cholera also loomed large.
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